Hand County press. (Miller, Dakota [S.D.]) 1882-1893, 1887-05-26
PROMISES UNFULFILLEp

The present administration is in many
respects repetition of the one preceding
1t, and feeling of disgust cannot be sup
pressed for the refusal OF Congcsss to deal
justly by the territory of Dakota. 1t has
aroused the most bitter and pronounced
resentment. Whom the war was finished.
the republican party had thousands of de.
serving patriots to take care OF. There
were thousands of crippled men who had
risked their lives for home and country
The pension laws were then in their infan-
cy and these manned ana ragged yetrans
had to be cared for. Hundreds of them
were sent to Dakota to fill official appoint
ments and their services were partly re-
munernted. In time this species of reward
for military service became mixed with re-
wards for political services. Then the
offices, one by one, dropped into the arms
OF strong. healthy two legged politicians
who had never scented the battle from far
--or near. The territory soon became the
asylum Of loud mouthed party hacks. The
patriotism Of GO grew pale under the lurid
lustre of TO- War scared vetrans We're
forced aside by bullies and ballot box
workers. whose aid at elections was Of so
much moment to political wire pullers
At this time the cry of reform and retrench-
ment was heard on every hand. Borne
upon the political winds it reached from
the shores Of Maine TO the gulf Of Mexico.
Tho people believed that reform was nee
essary; the grand old party began to weak
en- and at last succumbed to its Adversary
the government was given into the hands
OF the democracy, and the work Of reform
that the democratic party had promised
should follow in the wake Of republican
misrule. seemed inevitable. The wheel
horses Of the republican party grew sick
ms they saw the offices slipping from their
hands. The rascals must go. The great
day when honesty and patriotism was to
be rewarded had arrived. The vicious
sports system was to be exterminatcd and
there was TO be no rewards for political
services. President Cleve land said in his
letter Of acceptance that none but TIE citi-
zens of the te. e.ritsries shoald fill their Of
fees. Carpet baggers must leave; personal
favors were thing Of the past; the goy-
enmeut must be run on business prin-
cIples. The great mistakes Of the republi-
can party must be turned 10 the advantage
Of the democracy. There will be indeed
a government Of the people, for the psople
aud by the people. But alas, these golden
promises have not been fulfilled. Civil
service is a dead lstter so far as the
democratic party is concerned. The re-
forms which were promised us and we had
a right to expect, have failed to appear
The governor of Dakota was imported
from New Iork-a reward for party work.
Other officials were selected from the
anointed in other states. Minnesota, for
instance, has furnished one of Dakots's
postmastors. Tho spills system under the
new regime is flUurishing. Mr.. Cleveland
has utterly failed to keep one single prom
Use that he made ON the eve Of his election.
That there is dissatisfaction everywhere
in the party that elected him, none will
deny. 1t is desp and wide spread in Da-
kota. What the end will be no man know
eth. ". S. X.